Serena: Welcome to HEA! What drew you to creating a science-fiction world for the YA-reading audience?

Siobhan: I’ve been reading YA books for years, especially fantasy and science-fiction, and I love the blend of action, adventure and romance, and let’s not forget the hot guys! It was only natural that I’d write YA — I didn’t even have to stop and think about it!

I’m a massive Star Wars fan and I always swore that one day I’d indulge my inner sci-fi geek by creating my own epic story in space. Again, it was a no-brainer and the very first idea that came to me was for a sci-fi dystopian series (True Calling).

Jill: My husband and I were working with teens at our church. I gravitated toward the readers, and we were all sharing books with each other. I wanted to write books for those teens — honest stories that would entertain and encourage them as they navigated their way to adulthood. Stories to get them thinking. The science-fiction genre provided a unique opportunity to challenge my readers and get them speculating how they’d do living in one of my story worlds.

Deanna: I’ve always been young at heart. I think writing books for teens just came naturally for me. When I was reading The Hunger Games, I found the lack of hope a bit sad. I thought, I should write about a futuristic world but add splashes of hope.

Katie: I like the sense of hope, of possibility, that’s inherent in both science-fiction and being a teenager. In sci-fi — or a teenager’s real life — you’re standing at the precipice of new worlds, and that’s terrifying and exhilarating.

Serena: Although there are many adult readers of YA, what do you think teen YA readers are looking for in a sci-fi romance?

Mary: I think what I hear most often is they’d like a fast, fun, solid adventure that’s realistic enough to feel true, while fantastical enough to make it worth their time — but without wading through 50 pages of tech speak. And a romance that’s part of the drama, but not the drama.

A.N.: A YA sci-fi romance can be dark, it can be funny, quirky, fast-paced, you name it. It can take place in the present day, or the distant future, on this earth or in a galaxy far, far away. But a few things are essential. Teen readers want to see a sci-fi world that’s smart and original — you need that ‘wow, so cool!’ factor — but the world also has to be relatable. The emotional world of the characters is every bit as important as the flashy science stuff. Perhaps even more important. And of course, teen readers want to swoon for a hot, unforgettable love interest. If he or she is a time traveler, an alien or even from another universe, so much the better!

Siobhan: I completely agree, and it’s that winning combination of action, adventure, intrigue, vivid world building, swoon-worthy romance, hot guys and a strong, relatable heroine that hooks the teen reader. A life-threatening end-of-world scenario is essential, and a kickass main character who is the only one who can save the day is an absolute must! While the sci-fi shouldn’t be overly technical or too graphic, it needs to be imaginative and original enough to stand out from the crowd. And let’s not forget the romance — teen readers want a couple they can root for and a romance that is out of this world!

Serena: Did you read sci-fi as a teen? If so, what about the genre drew you in?

Mary: *laughs* When I was 13 my mom brought home a sci-fi novel with a cover unlike any I’d ever seen. I can’t even recall the name, but that cover STILL sticks in mind! I read it, loved it dearly and became obsessed with the idea of entire other races existing for eons with their own stories. So a few years later when I discovered Ender’s Game? You guys, I was a GONER.

A.N.: So true, there’s nothing like that first sci-fi novel! I loved A Wrinkle in Time. I didn’t see many female sci-fi heroes when I was a teen, though — or romantic plot lines — so I’m thrilled that has changed.

Serena: When brainstorming plots and technology for YA sci-fi romance novels, where do you find inspiration?

Jill: For my Safe Lands trilogy, I looked online, specifically Googling things like “futuristic phones” and such. I found all kinds of inspiration, then used my imagination from there. It cracks me up, but I consistently have readers think I wrote about vaping before it was a thing. That’s not true at all. Vaping has been around awhile (and I learned about it in my online research), but now that it’s becoming more prevalent, my readers think, “Hey! Jill saw that coming.”

Mary: My siblings and I are total geeks who, once a month, get our families together and end up talking the latest tech inventions and predictions. Between that and movies/shows like Super 8, X-Files and Stranger Things … I’m in research heaven.

Deanna: Ooh! Yes, Stranger Things is amazing. I agree. I cannot wait for season two! I love watching all the new sci-fi movies. Some really inspirational ones for me have been The Hunger Games, The Giver and Divergent. OK, that sounds cliché, but it’s true.

Serena: Do you recall a specific a-ha!moment that resulted in one of your sci-fi stories?

A.N.: With The Corridor I had one of those vivid, inspiring dreams that so many writers talk about. What better way to tap directly into the subconscious? In my dream, the scene played out like I was watching a movie: In a flash of light, a girl appears in a deserted public bathroom, seemingly from nowhere. She’s just jumped into this world from a parallel universe. But this power is dangerous. Secret. No one can know. Then she realizes, I am not alone in here. There’s a woman watching, a fugitive hiding out from the police. Now, they’re both on the run.

When I woke up, I knew right away that this could be a great story. … But at that time, I’d never written a science-fiction manuscript. I loved sci-fi, but I didn’t think I could pull off all that world-building myself! I set it aside. But that story, and that dream, kept nagging me. Write me! it said. I finally decided to take a shot at writing the thing, and I’m so glad that I did. The scene from my dream had changed dramatically by the time it was published, but the heart of it is still there.

Siobhan: I had a similar dream which prompted me to write my first novel, True Calling! Those dreams are the best! With my most recent YA sci-fi romance series, my a-ha! moment occurred when I was reading The Lux series by Jennifer Armentrout. I devoured that series in record time. It was my first YA alien sci-fi romance and I was completely enamored. As I was reading it, I thought, I want to write about my own hot aliens. *laughs* And the idea for my Saven series developed from there. I was also able to indulge my inner Star Wars geekiness by having my story set at a future time and the action takes place between Earth and space and a multitude of different alien planets.

Katie: I started hearing Rosa and Eddie — from What Goes Up — talking in my head. They were bantering back and forth, having a pretty good time, and I thought, There’s some chemistry here. I wonder what they’re up to? After the second straight day of dashing naked past a window to write down what they were talking about, I decided I’d better start writing.

Serena: What is your favorite thing about YA readers?

A.N.: I love that YA readers are so loyal, yet at the same time, so open to new things. A YA author might write a paranormal romance one day, a dystopian the next, then historical, then science-fiction — and readers will follow! The key to a YA book isn’t so much a particular plot-line as it is that distinctive YA voice, emotional depth and an authentic teen perspective. YA readers know that their next great read might come from any subgenre. They’re always willing to try something new! And that includes giving new authors a chance, too, which is huge for debut and undiscovered writers.

Jill: They’re voracious. They read quickly and are always looking for new books. And when they find a book they love, they’ll read it over and over. I’ve had readers tell me they’ve read some of my books 10 times. That blows my mind. But I love how excited they are about the stories they love and how they make those fandoms part of their lives. I’ve fun across readers with e-mails or usernames of my characters. When readers love your characters that much, you know you’ve done something right.

Serena: When you think of “classic” science-fiction, what comes to mind?

Katie: I think of Ray Bradbury and Isaac Asimov as the classics, and Michael Crichton for non-space-based stories. I saw Star Wars in the theater as a kid and remember the audience gasping as the opening words scrolled back. We’d never seen anything like that before.

Deanna: Star Wars is a classic. I’m super excited about the sequel to The Force Awakens coming out this December. I grew up on Star Trek. My mom was a huge fan. She called me a Trekkie because I was outgoing and she called my sister a Klingon because she was shy and introverted. I loved Captain Kathryn Janeway the most — and even forced my friends to come dressed up in Star Trek outfits for my 12th birthday party just so I could cosplay her.

Jill: When I was growing up, some classic sci-fi authors were Jules Verne, George Orwell, H.G. Wells, Aldous Huxley, Ray Bradbury, Mary Shelley, Frank Herbert and Edgar Rice Burroughs. Classic TV shows? The Twilight Zone, Buck Rogers, the original Battlestar Galactica, the original Star Trek, Thunderbirds, the original Doctor Who, Lost in Space, V, Knight Rider and Quantum Leap. And when I think of classic science-fiction movies I think of the first Planet of the Apes, Godzilla, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, Frankenstein, Doctor Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Invisible Man, The Fly and Soylent Green (which still haunts me).

Serena: Among your contemporaries, is there a YA sci-fi author you consider to be particularly entertaining or exceptionally talented?

Katie: Paolo Bacigalupi. I spend most of my writing time plotting ways to steal some of his talent. If I ever succeed, he won’t even notice.

Mary: Incidentally, Paolo’s The Drowned Cities is at the top of my TBR list! And (along with every other human alive) I have enormous admiration for my friend, Marissa Meyer of the Lunar Chronicles series. She’s hilarious, brilliant and gave us Captain Thorne, sigh. I also enjoy Tonya Kuper’s ability to write a fantastic science-y girl and cute guy duo.

Serena: Which authors — of any genre — have most influenced you?

Deanna: Umm … Mary Weber! *waves sheepishly over at Mary* She is so inspirational. I haven’t met a kinder, more giving author yet. I totally admire her heart and hope to be like her someday.

Mary: What?! Oh, I’m honored! Thank you, Deanna.

Deanna: As far as romance authors, my favorite as a teen was V.C. Andrews, although she did more Gothic/horror romance. My favorite author as an adult, one who infuses flawless romance into her stories, is Lynn Austin.

Mary: And I’m a huge fangirl of author Tahereh Mafi and her Shatter Me series. I recall picking up book one the month it came out, and thinking, “I’ve never read anything like this.” Between the prose and romantic tension, I’m STILL not over that book. It’s influenced everything I’ve written since.

Serena: What is one of the coolest “science fact” things you’ve discovered while researching one of your novels?

Katie: It turns out that you can’t have root beer in space because the carbonation and soda don’t separate in microgravity. I was appalled. NASA can just forget about me being an astronaut.

Jill: I can’t think of any cool science facts at the moment. Everything I have come up with has been somewhat horrifying. *laughs*

A.N.: Ha, yes, there are a lot of horrifying facts we have to research as writers! Gunshot wounds, blood, etc. But as for cool science research — anything and everything about quantum physics.

Serena: What is your favorite fictional mode of sci-fi travel?

Deanna: Beam me up, Scotty! My mom was a huge Star Trek nerd while I was growing up. I’ve seen enough transporters to realize it’s a pretty nifty way to get around. I will say the Tardis comes in at a close second.

A.N.: Star Trek wins for me, too! I’m a Next Generation Enterprise kind of girl. Make it so, Captain Picard!

Siobhan: Teleporting is a popular form of travel in my Saven series, and I’m all for it. Anything that can get me from A to B in the quickest time possible is a winner! I’d also love a spin on the Millennium Falcon. *grins*

Serena: If you could live within one already-created science-fiction reality, which one would you choose?

Jill: Hmm … Most science-fiction realities are a little scary — at least those that I’ve read. I’d have to go with Star Trek, because I’d love a machine that could serve up whatever food I ask for, or a halodeck that could take me anywhere I asked to go — even if it was only an illusion. And beaming. I would LOVE to be able to beam myself all over the place. So, for me, Star Trek wins.

Mary: *laughs* The halodeck! As a kid, I was obsessed with wanting to own one! Although, even more so, I wanted an AT-ST (chicken walker) on the planet, Hoth, in the Star Wars universe. So yeah … I’d love to live around wookiees and ewoks and sky scoundrels named Han.

Katie: Hmm, a lot of (science-fiction worlds) are a bit dystopian, or have all sorts of unknown hazards. I’m not big on unknown hazards. I guess I’ll follow Jill to the Starship Enterprise. She can enjoy the galley; I’m going to hang out with Jean-Luc Picard.

Serena: Awesome. Many thanks to each of you for hanging out with us at HEA today!

Jill Williamson (Photo: Tanni Wenger)

Siobhan Davis (Photo: Peter Keane Photography)

A.N. Willis (Photo: Andrea Flannigan)

About the authors

Jill Williamson writes fantasy and science-fiction for teens and adults. Jill grew up in Alaska, staying up and reading by the summer daylight that wouldn’t go away. This led to a love of books and writing, and her debut novel, By Darkness Hid, won several awards and was named a Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror novel of 2009 by VOYA magazine. She loves giving writing workshops and blogs for teen writers at www.GoTeenWriters.com, which has been named as one of Writer’s Digest’s “101 Best Websites for Writers.” She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, two children and a whole lot of deer. Find her at www.JillWilliamson.com.

USA TODAY bestselling author Siobhan Davis writes emotionally intense Young Adult and New Adult fiction with swoon-worthy romance, complex characters and tons of unexpected plot twists and turns that will have you flipping the pages beyond bedtime! She is the author of the international bestselling True Calling, Saven, and Kennedy Boys series. She resides in the Garden County of Ireland with her husband and two sons. Find her at siobhandavis.co.uk.

A.N. Willis lives in Denver and writes YA — sometimes sci-fi, sometimes supernatural, always with heavy doses of action and romance. She’s the author of the parallel universe adventure The Corridor and its sequel The Thirteenth Word. Find her at www.anwilliswrites.com.

Mary Weber (Photo: Sarah Kathleen Photography)

Deanna Fugett (Photo: Dorian Tronick Photography)

Katie Kennedy (Photo: Freeman’s Photography)

Mary Weber is the multiple-award-winning author of the bestselling Young Adult Storm Siren Trilogy and The Evaporation of Sofi Snow series (all by HarperCollins). An avid high school, middle school and conference speaker, Mary’s passion is helping others find their voice amid a world that often feels too loud. When she’s not plotting adventures involving tough girls who take over the world, Mary sings eighties hairband songs to her three muggle children and ogles her husband, who looks strikingly like Wolverine. They live in California, which is perfect for stalking L.A. bands, Joss Whedon and the ocean. Find her at maryweber.com.

When Deanna Fugett isn’t writing or connecting with others via social media, she can be found dancing around the kitchen with her four kids. She has a dog named Westley, a cat named Buttercup, some rabbits, two rats, a parakeet and some newly acquired chickens. She resides in the Denver area with her high-school-sweetheart husband of 15 years, who thinks they live on a farm (they don’t). Her debut novel, Ending Fear (Gliding Lands, book one), released in July. Find her at www.deannafugett.com.

Katie Kennedy is a college history instructor who lives in Iowa. She and her husband have a daughter, son, cat and dog. She has a cornfield in her backyard and hopes that someday Rosa and Eddie will land in it. She is the author of the YA sci-fi novels Learning to Swear in America and What Goes Up. Find her at www.katiekennedybooks.com.

Serena Chase is the author of the epic fantasy series, Eyes of E’veria and of Intermission, a contemporary YA coming-of-age romance. Serena lives in Iowa with her husband and two teen daughters.